Sunday 21 March 2021

Year Five covers and updates, and other Star Trek comics news

IDW have released their June released, which include two Star Trek titles. Continue below for the details of those, and other Star Trek comic updates.

June will see just one new Star Trek comic, the finale of the magnificent TOS: Year Five series. As with the rest of the three-part story, issue twenty-four is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, with art by Stephen Thompson. Here's the blurb:

Their journey has taken them to the edge of the known universe and beyond. They’ve faced down impossible odds, conquered incredible enemies, and now, here in the shadow of home, their mission will come to an end... and nothing will ever be the same. The crew of the Enterprise will put it all on the line in the grand finale of Star Trek: Year Five from showrunners Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly (Gotham City Garage, Green Arrow) and artist Stephen Thompson (Satellite Falling, Die Hard: Year One).

As usual the book will be offered in two different covers, with the main by Thompson as well, and a more elusive retail incentive cover by JJ Lendl. So far just the latter has been revealed:


I say this is the finale, but it turns out the series will be getting a surprise twenty-fifth issue. Series showrunner and writer Jackson Lanzing recently appeared on the Go Trek Yourself podcast, and talked about this extra epilogue book coming soon from the entire creative team from the Year Five series:

We have an issue twenty-five, that is written by the entire room (I don't think this has been announced yet, but whatever), and that is going to be our epilogue; that's our ending. And when that happens, that is effectively our inverse of the beginning of The Final Frontier, that's going to be our opportunity to look at these characters after they've moved beyond the bridge, and see what those first steps into a new life are gunna be. Because we know where they're going to land, we know that when they eventually reach The Motion Picture, V'Ger's going to show up and Kirk will be back on that bridge. But they don't know that, for all of them this feels like an ending. So we're really going to get that sense, and get to sit with these characters after the moment of the big bang. So like twenty-four's going to be a big bombastic finale, and twenty-five is going to be a quiet rumination of what that all meant to these people. And I'm very grateful that IDW was willing to give us that, because that wasn't in the original plan.

Lanzing also revealed that he and his writing partner Collin Kelly's initial pitch to IDW was actually for a massive 24th century crossover series featuring TNG, DS9, and Voyager characters. Alas this idea was cast adrift with the announcement of Picard, and Year Five is what they were latter offered - Tantalising what we didn't get, but Year Five is amazing, so can't say we've exactly missed out! Do check out the full podcast for more on Year Five and much more.

Retailer listings have also now revealed a really cool cover for the final Year Five omnibus, Experienced in Loss, which is split between TV era and Motion Picture versions of the TOS crew:


This is due out in November, and will include the final two story arcs in the series, the epilogue, and the Valentine's special too. Here's the blurb:
The five-year mission reaches its epic conclusion, where Kirk and the Enterprise crew will have their bonds tested, secrets revealed, and futures cast into doubt!

First, Kirk meets his romantic match in fellow Starfleet captain Laura Rhone. But will she be the one, or the one that got away?
 
Then, while investigating a mysterious structure on his home planet, Spock vanishes! Can Kirk, Bones, and company find where—or when—their friend has gone? And what does Spock's entanglement in Vulcan's past mean for its future?
 
Finally, the showdown that's been building for the last year is here! Gary Seven and the shadowy AEGIS organization's scheme has stretched from the grand Tholian Assembly to the pestilential Harry Mudd. Now their ultimate plan comes to fruition, and only the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise can hope to stop it! When the smoke clears, what will be left for our heroes?
 
For now, this is the final voyage of the starship Enterprise. This volume collects issues #20-25 of the series, as well as the Valentine's Day special, from writers Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Brandon Easton, Jim McCann, and Paul Cornell, and artists Angel Hernandez, Sylvia Califano, Stephen Thompson, and Christopher Jones.


One more Year Five update comes via artist Silvia Califano has teased some of her work from the forthcoming Vulcan/Romulan schism time travel story, The Raptor's Wings, with what looks like a bit of Spock flashback in this art in progress:



Also listed in IDW's June solicitations is Debt of Honor, a facsimile edition of the 1992 classic TOS era-spanning epic from writer Chris Claremont, and artist Adam Hughes. 

This might seem familiar as it was originally due to get a reprint last June - Then you know, stuff happened - It did get a digital release last June, and now the physical version is coming at last this coming June. The cover is reuses the original paperback edition art by Jason Palmer, and the reprint is in the original oversized format too.

In this oversized graphic novel from comics legends Chris Claremont and Adam Hughes, Captain Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise find themselves teamed with the Klingons and Romulans to fight  the galactic threat that no government dares admit exists…

A stunning 96-page adventure that celebrates Star Trek's enduring legacy, IDW is thrilled to present this Debt of Honor reprint in its original 8.2” x 11” size.


One other Star Trek comics update is that the TNG mirror universe mega omnibus, which was due right about now (having already also been delayed last year), has been pushed back again, to June as well. The book will collect IDW's three mirror TNG series, Mirror Broken, Through The Mirror, and Terra Incognita.

They've also changed the cover art, so the book will now reused the JK Woodward art for the Loot Crate exclusive Data prequel in the Mirror Broken series. 



Support The Trek Collective, via order links for mentioned books:
Star Trek: Year Five #24: Ithaca, part 3
Star Trek: Year Five (omnibus #4): Experienced in Loss
Amazon(ad)
Debt of Honor, facsimile edition
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Mirror Universe Collection

To keep track of all the latest Star Trek comic releases, hit the comics button on my 2021 schedule page, or have a look back through my comics tag for the latest posts. You can also find reading lists for several Star Trek comic series on my Trek Collective Lists site. 


Find Star Trek comics, toys, statues, and collectibles at TFAW.com!


2 comments:

Matt Gilbert said...

Do we know if the Mirror Universe Collection will actually include the LootCrate one-shot?

8of5 said...

Can't say for certain until I see a copy or contents page preview, but one would certainly hope; would be an unfortunate omission from the otherwise complete collection. Especially when using the cover art!

Find Star Trek comics, toys, statues, and collectibles at TFAW.com!